New-York tribune., 1887-11-21
DARWIN'S LIFE.
EVOLUTION OF A NATURALIST.

tsn Co.
Nothng IS moro clearly shown in these volumes than
INA, ercat naturasts arc most often born with tho
HAS and tho apttudes which control their life work
Tn the case of most professions and many other
branches OF science the choice Of pursuit not made
until manhood reached. But Darwin from his carli
est consciousness close observer Of organic life
and exhibited a special fondness for collecting In
this he rescmbcd Buckland, Watcron, White Jesse,
and many other distinguished men, In the present
work a chapter Of genealogical Information frightened
with many anecdotes of Darwins father, himself mar
consider able Intellectual force and attanmcnts the
brief auobiOgr Apply which Darwin headed hecoilcc-
tons Of the development of my Mind and Character
is given II consists of siXtylTec pages and Is fol
lowed by Mr. Francis Darwln's rccollcctionS OF his
father the latter appeared in his home e and this
home life practically HIS complete existence Tor
more than forty years. The greater part Of the au;o-
biography was written I'm 1876 and some additionS were
made in 1880 1t written with no thought OF pub
ucaton for his family alCnc, and consequently oInS-
sions have necessary, but the sketch IS fll OF the
lvecst interest.
OF his strong natural bent when nc was Dut elSh'
years old, he writes
BY the time / went to this day school my taste fo-
natural history and especially for collecting was
we'll developed. l tiled to make out The names Of
plants and collected all sorts of things, shells, seals,
franks coins and minerals. Tho passion for collecting
which leads a to be systematic naturalist Writ
uoSo, a miscr, very strong In me, and was
.lealy innate of my sisters brothers had
this taste"
As a child hc was humane. He says
Once as a very little boy whilst at the day school,
or before that time ] acted cruelty. for beat
puppy, ! believe. simply fro1 eni yng the scuSe of
power; but the beating could not have btrn severe
for the puppy did not howl of which feel sure.
the spot was near the house This act lay heavily
on my conscience as is shown by my remembering
the exact spot whore the crime was committed II
probably lay all the heavier from my love Of dogs
being then. and for long time afterwards passion.
Dogs seemed to know this, for adept in rob
bine their love from their masters
In 1918 he was sent to Dr. Buffers school at Shrews
bury and remained there years and until he
sixteen. His impression that he got little
good out of this school He never could learn Ian
guaccs with facility. and he always forgot his classical
lessons in a few hours. When he left Dr. Butler his
father thought him unlikely to make his mark and re-
preached him for caring only for shooting, dogs and
rat-catching" He formed tho following Impression
of this period subsequently,
Looking back as well as can at my character dur
Ing my school life. the only qualities which al this
period promised we'll for the future were. that had
strong and diversified tastes much zeal for whatever
interested me, and keen pleasure in understanding
any complex subject thing. l was taught Euclid
by private tutor and distinctly remember the In
tense satisfaction which the clear GcOmcrical proofs
gave l remember with equal dstinctnesS. the
delight which my uncle gave me (thc father of Fran
els Ga0n by explaining the principle OF the vcrnier
of barometer. With respect to diversified tastes. |
independently OF science l fond of reading vari
OnS books ana used TO SIT Tor hours lcadlng inc
historical plays of Shakespeare, generally in an old
window the thick walls Of the school read also
other poetry. such ThOmsOn'S seasons" and the
recently published poems of Byron and scott. men
ton this because later I'm life wholly lost, to my
great regret all pleasure from poetry of any Kind
including Shakespeare. In connection with pleasure
from poetry, may add that in 1522 vivid delight
I'm scenery was first awakened in my mind, during
riding the borders Of Wales. and this has |
lasted longer than any other aesthetic pleasure.
As he doing no good at school, lis father sent
Q.
fears Of his educational experience there, he says
The instruction at Edinburgh was altogether hy |
lectures, and these intocrably dull, with the
exception Of those on chemistry 10y Hope but to my |
mind there advantages and many disadvantages
In lectures compared with reading Dr. DnncAnS |
lectures Matcria Medica Z o'clock on winters
morning something fearful to remembers DR.. -
made his lectures on human anatomy as duli aS he
himself. and the subject disguised me. 1t has |
proved ono the greatest evils I'm my life that was
urged to practise dissection Tor should soon
have got over my disgust and the practice would have
pccn invaluable for all my future work Tbs has |
been rrcmediablc evil. as well as my ncapachY 10
iraw. ! also attended regularly the clinical wards
IN the hospital Some Of the cases distressed me |
good deal. and StIll have vivid pictures before me
of of them but was not 50 foolish as To all""
this 10 lessen my attendance. cannot UNDERSTAND |
why this part OF my medical course did not interest
me I'm greater degree for during the summer before
coming 10 Edinburgh l began attending some Of the
poor people chiefly children and women In Shrc"s-
bury down as full an account as ! could OF |
the case all the symptoms. and read them aloud
q
advised me what medicines give. which made mp
myself At time had at least dozen patients
and felt keen interest in the work Ny ia'hcr,
who was bv far the best Judge Of character whom
ever knew declared that should make succc'Niui
rhyslcian-mcanne by this one Who Would ger many
patients. He maintained that the chief element ol
success was exciting confidence; hu what hc saw In
me which convinced him that should create conn
dcncc know not. also attended on TWO oca>l"hS
,tr oucrating thr2f. " the hospital at Edinburgh ana
saw two very bad operations, one on a child. bnt
pushed away before they were completed. Nor uu
ever attend again. for hardly any ndnccmcni would
have been strong enough TO axe me DO so TINS Dchg
lang before the blessed days Of chOroi"rn Inc TWO
ca.ps fairly haunted me for many long year.
Here. however, he pursued his studies In natural
history with ncrcasii interest Xcndng s researches
into marine zoology. Iu after two sessions Of Idin-
ourgh father heaIi. ta hr dii Ike the thought
of being physlcan. proposed that he should become
q CLERGYMAN of this he says:
asked for some time to consider. as from what
little ! had heard or thought on the subject ha"
scrupcs about declaring my belief in all the d"gnAS
Of the Church Of England; tionsh Otherwise me-
the thought Of being country clergyman Nccorn,
jnrly read with care Pearson on the Crceds," ana
a few other books on divinity: and as did mol then
In the least doubt the strict and literal uuth OF every
word in the Elblc soon persuaded mysch that our
Creed must be fully acccItcd toISldcilug DO" |
0crcelv have been attacked by the orthodox It seems
Iudlcrous that | intended 10 be clergyman |
Nor was this intention and my fathers WISE ever |
t,rmaIIv given M Int died a Natural death whcn |
nm leaving Cambridge. Joined the beagle as na'uT
Mist II the phrcnOlOgists are TO be trusted was
fitted In fcsInCl 10 ~ "a 'I'l-S - -
,-oars aco tho secretaries Of a German psychological
socctv he'd me earnestly by letter for photograph
of myself: and some timc aher"ard received me
proceedings Of Of the meetings. I'm which 1t seemed
,hat thc shape Of my head had been the subject OF
,mIic discussion. and Of the speakers declared
that had the bump OF reverence ucNcioi@u choush
for ten priests
rto was sent then 10 Cambridge 10 take his degree,
aud ncnt three years there wasting lis time as far as
thc aradcmcal studies concerned as completely |
rs at Edinburgh and at school" lie attempted mathc
nacs but got on very slowly from not being able
10 see any meaning IN the carly steps In algebra lo
decpy regretted his impatiencc In after years, though
ne did not believe he should have been able to 90
Ghcvond a very low gradcs I'm athcmatics. He had